Automatic light for cabinets



Aug. 31, 1948. E. R. coBBs AUTOMATIC LIGHT FOR CABINETS Filed March 18,1947 3mm EVERETT R. C0656:

Patented Aug. 31, 1948 UNITED STATES Les;

This invention relates to automatic light apparatus for cabinets,closets, ice boxes, desks, and other enclosures provided with doors orlids, the object being to provide an improved lighting structure thatwill coact with the door or lid to automatically provide a light whenthe door or lid is opened, and automatically extinguish the light whenthe door or lid is closed.

Another object is to provide an improved light structure wherein a novelswitch is provided for opening and closing the circuit.

Another obieot is to provide a lamp and switch unit that will be compactand simple in construction, that may be readily manufactured andassembled at low cost, and that in use will provide efficient andconvenient lighting.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic front elevation of the new and improved lamp andswitch unit.

Figure 2 is a side view, partially in section, of the same structure.

Figure 3 is an end view of the same device.

The device comprises a light bulb 10 that is adapted to be energizedfrom a battery or other source of electrical energy. The electricalcircuit includes a movable spring contact 20, to be more fully describedhereinafter. A movable plunger 30 is so mounted that when it isdepressed, it will move the spring switch 2|! out of contact with therest of the circuit and thereby extinguish the bulb Ill. The plunger 30is adapted to be operated by the lid of a desk, the door of arefrigerator or closet or cupboard, so that in the closed position ofsaid lid or door, the electrical contact will be broken and the light IDwill be out. When the door or lid is opened, or otherwise moved, thepressure on the plunger 30 will be released, and the spring switch 20will automatically close the circuit and light the bulb l0. Conversely,the light I and associated mechanism may be mounted on a movable door orlid, or, if desired, the circuit may be so arranged that the light willbe on when the lid or door is closed, and extinguished when the lid ordoor is opened.

The movable switch 20 is made of resilient conducting material,preferably brass. One end thereof has an enlarged flange portion 2| thatis fixed by means of a screw 22 to a base 23. To

provide firmer anchorage for the spring 20, the flanged end portion 2|is recessed into the base 23, as shown more particularly in Figure 2.The spring member 20 is arcuate shaped and is curved more thanthree-quarters of a circle, that is, more than 270". This shape isdesigned to furnish adequate spring energy to restore the plunger 30 toinoperative position. The fixed end portion of the spring member 20 islaterally extended to provide a support and contact 24 for the base H ofthe bulb NJ.

The bulb in is designed to be received in a spring or screw clip l3. Theclip I3 is made of a conducting material and is attached to thenon-conducting base 23 by means of an insulating switch l4 and screw l5.A conducting wire I6 is soldered, or otherwise permanently fastened tothe clip l3, and the other end of the wire l6 leads to one of theterminals [1. The other terminal I8 is permanently joined to a contactscrew H! by means of a conducting lug 9. The terminals l1 and I8 are, ofcourse, connected with a dry cell, or battery, or other source ofelectrical energy.

A bearing 3| may be fixed to the base 23 or to the wall of the closet ordesk to provide a support for the movable plunger 30. The base 23 may beprovided with a hole, or plurality oi holes, 24 with which it may befastened to the closet, cupboard, or door, as the case may be. The Wholedevice may be accommodated within a plastic enclosure 35 that istransparent or partially transparent.

Let it be assumed that the device is designed to operate with the bulbl0 fixed in position, and the plunger 39 operated by the movement of adoor or lid. As hereinbefore indicated, the structure is so arrangedthat when the plunger 30 is in the position shown in Figure 1, theswitch 20 will be in contact with the contact screw l9, completing thecircuit from the terminal l1, through the conducting wire l6, throughthe clips l3 and into the lamp ID, through the spring switch arm 20,through the contact screw l9, and back through the lug 9 into theterminal l8. When the door or lid is moved against the plunger 13, thelatter will be shifted from right to left against the energy of thespring 20 to break contact between the switch 20 and the contact screwI9, and the lights will go out.

When the door is opened, the energy of the spring 2!! will restore theplunger 30 to the position shown in Figure 1, and the switch arm 20 willagain make contact with the contact screw l 9.

What is claimed is:

An illuminating device for cabinets and the like, comprising arelatively thin flat insulating base, a conducting spring clip fixedlymounted upon the base, a. light bulb secured within the spring clip andhaving one terminal in electrical contact therewith, a singlesubstantially L- shaped resilient contact arm secured to the base andincluding a transverse portion arranged in permanent electrical contactwith the opposite terminal of the light bulb and a free portionextending longitudinally of the light bulb for substantially its entirelength, said free portion being biased laterally outwardly from thelight bulb, a pair of fixed terminals mounted upon the base and adaptedfor connection with a source of current, a wire connecting one of saidfixed terminals with said spring clip, the opposite fixed terminal beingnormally engaged by the free portion of the L-shaped contact arm tocomplete a circuit through the light bulb, and a reciprocable plungermounted upon the base near the end of the free portion and projectinglaterally beyond a side of the base, the inner end of the plungerengaging the free portion and directly shifting the same toward thelight bulb to open the circuit when the plunger is moved axiallyinwardly.

EVERETT R. COBBS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

2,285,454 Moss June 9, 1942

